Hifiman IEM's: RE-400 and RE-600
Mar 6, 2013 at 4:14 AM Post #484 of 3,507
Now that I also bought a pair of the HE-400 planar headphones I just want to see how the RE-400 compares as far as sound signature but not the presentation as the HE-400 should win hands down.
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 5:28 AM Post #485 of 3,507
Quote:
 
That's very true because I've found some to be large while others say it more average.  ClieOS in his review said "its above average but not excessively wide" and I usually agree with most of his impressions but you never know.

 
To me, RE-400 soundstage is pretty eartips dependent. The big bi-flanges is the one that is better for soundstage. However, the reason why I said it is 'above average' is because, although the overall size of the 3D space is not big, the layering is still fairly clean. Instead of mashing all the detail to a blurry mesh or have everything flatten out, I can still hear a decent detail of separation, image, and position. That's why I described it as 'third role of a small theatre' - where you are not that far away from the action, but still far enough to identify the whole picture.
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 1:58 PM Post #486 of 3,507
Yes i meant the physical quality such as the cable cinch, and the nonsleeved cables above the splitter which are thin, feels flimsy and cheap. I have modded stretched out a pair of shure foamies for my RE400 and i think it gives it a bit more life in the mids, brings vocals closer. Soundstage also increases possibly because the driver is further away from the ear
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 8:04 PM Post #487 of 3,507
Quote:
Now that I also bought a pair of the HE-400 planar headphones I just want to see how the RE-400 compares as far as sound signature but not the presentation as the HE-400 should win hands down.

 
I hope there will be orthodynamic IEMs someday.
tongue.gif
I would be all over those.
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 10:10 PM Post #488 of 3,507
One thing RE-400 handles great would also be distortion. Check Rin's measurements on this and compare to RE-272 (which already had good values). Not a bad feat of a 99$ IEM (courtesy of the titanium driver I guess, surely not only).
 
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 10:22 PM Post #489 of 3,507
Quote:
 
To me, RE-400 soundstage is pretty eartips dependent. The big bi-flanges is the one that is better for soundstage. However, the reason why I said it is 'above average' is because, although the overall size of the 3D space is not big, the layering is still fairly clean. Instead of mashing all the detail to a blurry mesh or have everything flatten out, I can still hear a decent detail of separation, image, and position. That's why I described it as 'third role of a small theatre' - where you are not that far away from the action, but still far enough to identify the whole picture.

 
I hear ya, the soundstage doesn't have to be huge but like you describe it is great.  The SM3 while its soundstage width isn't huge but with the separation and 3D imaging it makes them sound much bigger than they really are.  
 
I'm really looking forward to hearing them as they might be the best $100 and under IEM you can get.  Your 7.5 rating and 5/5 sonic diamond is high praise though I don't expect them to sound as good as my e-Q5 because I think the e-Q5 sounds every bit as good as the SM3 V2 and is why I sold them which helped me get the RE and HE 400.
 
Mar 6, 2013 at 10:24 PM Post #490 of 3,507
Quote:
 
I hope there will be orthodynamic IEMs someday.
tongue.gif
I would be all over those.

 
I remember someone posting that Vsonics was coming out with a pair sometime in the future as there was no time frame but I don't know how true that was.
 
Mar 7, 2013 at 12:07 AM Post #493 of 3,507
Quote:
I'm really looking forward to hearing them as they might be the best $100 and under IEM you can get.  Your 7.5 rating and 5/5 sonic diamond is high praise though I don't expect them to sound as good as my e-Q5 because I think the e-Q5 sounds every bit as good as the SM3 V2 and is why I sold them which helped me get the RE and HE 400.

 
I can't agree too much with this reasoning. So if they sold them for 200 USD - would this automatically make them better. If they sold them for that much I would personally not complain. But really, the price is not always a measurement on how good something sounds even if it's mostly so. Audio Technica increased the price on the M50 once they realized it could be sold for more. Surely Hifiman could do the same thing, but probably won't.
 
To me the only thing that counts is that it sounds good, that is always priority imo. If it is at a reasonable price, then count that as a bonus.
 
Joker's review is probably coming any day soon. I guess 8+ (high 8 something) and would not be very surprised if it received a 9 (low 9).
 
Mar 7, 2013 at 12:28 AM Post #495 of 3,507
Depends on how you look at it. Many IEM's do treble and mids very good but discard bass. Many can do bass and mids very good but discard treble. It is really hard finding the right balance with bass / mids / treble. For me all parts have to work somewhat well. And some of the 9+ IEM's I've tried don't imo.
 
 

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